Altered Dreams
by Infinitypoet
Summary: Sequel to Epiphanies and Self Sacrifice: Bella and Edward are back together and planning their future. Follow them as an old enemy and an ex-friend try to come between them. Bella's POV AU Rating may change!
1. Chapter 1

**Hello, lovelies! This fic is the sequel to Epiphanies and Self Sacrifice. I suggest that you read that one before you begin this one! **

**A bit of news before the story begins, due to RL issues Candyann will not be co-authoring this with me. It's just little ole' me telling this story. So I ask for patience and understanding if I can't update every few days like before. I am focusing on Heavenly Scent but I won't neglect this story. Updates will be regular but it will be more like once a week instead of every three or four days. Sorry!**

***I don't own The Twilight Saga, but if I did this is what Eclipse would have looked like bbs!**

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Bella,

You want me to apologize, to that leech? Hell will freeze over first!

You are ridiculous. I've got nothing to feel sorry about…

He's my mortal enemy! So of course I wanted him dead…

Look, I know I was a jerk but what does refusing to talk to me make you?

I miss you Bella, a lot. I know that doesn't change anything but I do.

Jacob

I had to fight to rein in my anger as I read the latest note that Jake had sent home with Charlie the last time he went fishing with Billy. He had been sending various messages every few days since I'd been home. Did he honestly think that drawing a line through the text would stop me from seeing all of the horrible things he wrote about Edward? No the real questions were did he honestly think I could forgive him for almost getting the man I love killed and threatening to kill my vampire family if I joined them.

I sighed at his stupidity as I slipped the note in my pocket to show to Edward when he arrived. A small part of me wanted to be able to forgive Jacob but the much large part of me- the part that wasn't delusional – knew that forgiving him this time would allow him to believe that he had free rein to hurt Edward and I would just bop him on the nose and call him a bad dog. That's not going to happen, I'll be damned if I let anyone hut Edward!

Thinking of Edward brought a smile to my face. Things between the two of us had never been better. And I was really enjoying the new dynamic of our relationship. Charlie had lifted my punishment after only two days so these past three weeks since we've been home from Italy have been blissfully full of alone time with Edward.

We talk about everything now. If he is anxious over something, he tells me and we talk about what I can do to ease his worry. We've spent hours lying in our meadow together discussing everything, laying out all of our insecurities and putting each of them to rest. Topics that we had never even broached before were laid bare and resolved.

It was amazing to discover that Edward, my Edward-the perfect incarnation of everything good in this world-thought I was too good for him. The realization that he was just as insecure as I was was staggering.

It also brought the fact that he was just as new to relationships as I was to the surface. It makes my heart skip a beat every time I realize that my Edward had spent the last century waiting to share his first kiss with me. That fact coupled with the intense love and longing that I see reflected in his eyes every time he looks at me makes me feel like the goddess that Edward says I am.

I no longer pout or get angry when he buys me something. I finally understand that he doesn't require reciprocation for giving me a gift. Edward would give me the world if he could and that is simply because he loves me.

"Bella, phone!" I let out a loud exasperated sigh before yelling that I'll be right down. I know who it is, he always calls when he knows that Edward is gone hunting for the afternoon. I think he stalks us, waiting for him to leave.

I trudged down the stairs and into the kitchen. Charlie rolls his eyes at the phone before handing it to me. Odd.

"Hello?"

"_Bella, baby! Why didn't you call me? Charlie says that you and Edward are back together! Do you think that's a good idea? I saw how hurt you were before sweetheart; I don't think I can go through that again." _

Good old Renee, always thinking about herself. This is why I was the caretaker. She simply did not know how to be a parent.

"Mom, I didn't call you because I have been very busy. I have exams coming up, the store is gearing up for the tourist season so I have been working a lot and most importantly Edward and I have been trying to sort through all of the issues and misunderstandings that occurred in September. Now tell me how are things in Jacksonville?" I only asked as a way to change the subject. I half listened as she prattled on about some new hobby that she was getting into.

Charlie yelled that someone was at the door for me so I made my excuses to my mother and quickly hung up. I loved her but sometimes it was difficult to play the role of parent to your parent.

Edward and my father were in the living room discussing some roster change for the Mariners and how it would affect their chances for making a pennant run this season. The budding friendship between my father and my… fiancé-it was still difficult to think the word even though I was the one who had initially brought up marriage-made me very happy.

I was worried that Charlie would flat out hate Edward for what happened when he left me but was immensely relieved that that wasn't the case. Alice had soften Charlie up by telling him how much Edward suffered when we were apart and the way Edward had responded to the lies that Jacob told him about my death showed Charlie that Edward truly did love me the way I love him.

"Hello love," Edward smiled my favorite crooked grin as I sat down beside him on the couch. I took his hand and he gave mine a squeeze. This was as affectionate as we got in front of Charlie. Edward was nothing if not respectful.

"Hi. How was your trip?" The laughter that filled his eyes confused me for a second but then he spoke.

"Interesting to say the least, Emmett decided that he wanted try his hand at hunting rabbit. He chased a small brown bunny all the way to its burrow and trapped the poor thing. He lifted the rabbit to eye level smiling at how easy it had been to catch but as soon as he looked the rabbit in the eye, he very carefully sat the bunny back on its feet and backed away a few feet before slumping down on the ground crying." Edward laughed again at Emmett's antics and this time Charlie joined him. I still didn't understand.

"Why did that make Emmett cry?" I demanded. I hated being left out of the loop.

"Em couldn't hurt the rabbit for the same reason that my dear brother refuses to hunt deer." This statement made Charlie laugh even harder and me angrier.

"And why is that?"

"Emmett had what we all like to call a Bambi moment. He saw something in the rabbit and deer's eyes that made him start to think of them as people. I'm guessing that in his case the color of both of the animals' eyes reminded him of you right, Edward?" Charlie and I both looked at Edward who was nodding with a huge smile on his face. I guess it was sort of funny that Emmett reacted that way.

I laughed with them for a second then excused myself to the kitchen to start dinner. Edward had told me yesterday afternoon before he left that he had plans for the two of us tonight and I was curious and excited as to what they might be.

Edward excused himself as he always did when Charlie and I ate supper choosing instead to sit in the living room watching ESPN. Charlie had long since stopped questioning it and just went with the flow. We ate in silence like we usually did but I could see the questions in Charlie's eyes every time I looked up at him.

"What's wrong dad?"

"Nothing's wrong Bells, I was just wondering if maybe you weren't being a little too hard on Jake. He's barely sixteen years old Bella. He's just a kid, a good kid mostly and I think he's really sorry for what he did. I was thinking that maybe you should give him a call and invite him over or go over there to see him. I'm sure the two of you can work this out." Wow, Jacob had Charlie completely fooled. He really seemed to think that Jacob felt remorse for what he did to Edward but I knew better; in fact I had the proof in my pocket. I guess that means Charlie hasn't been reading the notes that he's been bringing home from La Push.

"Look, dad. I'm not sure what Jacob has been saying to you but the closest he has come to apologizing to me was the day I came home and he was here with the bike. He told me he was sorry about the bike, but he had to do what he could to protect me from myself. So I see no reason to go out of my way to bridge the gap that he made." Not to mention the fact that he had threatened to kill my adopted family. That in and of itself made me never want to see or speak to him again.

"Then what do all those notes that he's been sending say? He told me that they were apologies to you and Edward." Charlie challenged.

I knew that I couldn't show him all of the notes because some of them referred to Edward as a bloodsucker and an undead monster and other ludicrous things like that but this last one, he had only called Edward a leech and he had said that in front of Charlie so I figured that it would be okay to show him this one.

I pulled the note from my back pocket and unfolded. I laid it on the table and smoothed it out and turned it so that Charlie could read it.

"Damn, that boy has some nerve. All this time he's been telling me how sorry he was for lying and hurting you and then he goes and sends you notes like this. Well I for one am finished listening to anything that comes out of Jacob Black's mouth." Charlie fumed. He ran his hand through his salt and pepper hair in frustration. I knew how he felt; I had once believed that Jake was a good guy, too.

I washed the dishes and straightened up the kitchen while listening to Edward and Charlie talking in the living room. From what I could gather they were discussing colleges. Charlie said something along the lines of Carlisle being proud that Edward was accepted at some Ivy League school. I knew that the plan was to have Charlie believe that Edward and I had gone to college next year while I was busy adjusting to being a newborn vampire but I'd never guessed that it would be An Ivy League School. Could I even get into one?

Charlie excused himself to go shower and Edward came into the kitchen. He had a stack of forms in his hands and I suddenly knew what his plans for tonight were. He wanted me to fill out applications for college. It wasn't the romantic surprise I had been hoping for but at least we were together and that was all that mattered.

I had just finished filling out the personal information on the application to Dartmouth of all places when Edward broke the silence.

"I think that you should call Jacob." He said quietly. My head snapped up from the application in front of me. Edward was staring at me holding the note that Jake had written in his hand, I cocked an eyebrow in question. Hadn't he just read the reasons why I shouldn't call Jacob?

"Yes, I know but Bella he was your friend. He cared for protected you at a time when I didn't and no matter how much I wish I had never left, I can't escape the fact that I did. I'm not saying run to La Push and jump into his arms. I'm just saying offer him a chance to make amends," Edward's eyes were tense with some emotion that I couldn't understand.

"Edward, I will forever be grateful to Jake for being there for me when I needed him the most but I cannot and will not allow him to manipulate me. The Jacob that I knew is not here anymore, this new stoic, hateful Jacob took over him and I have no desire to spend time with him. And I'm sorry but I feel he has had ample opportunity to try to make things right between us but he keeps sending these notes that say spiteful things. So unless hell has frozen over and no one told me I guess we are at an impasse." Edward's eyes were full of relief that confused my but the laugh erupted from him told me that he remembered when he and I had been at impasse in our relationship.

"Okay, love if you're sure?" He asked reaching over to place a stray hair behind my ear, lingering to trace his long fingers down my neck and over my collarbone before pulling back. He smirked at my elevated heart rate and rapid breathing.

"I'm sure," I breathed. I took a couple breaths to steady myself and turned in my seat to fully face him.

"What was with the whole calling Jake thing about? I could see the tension in your eyes when you said it so why say it?" I asked. I really communicating with Edward like this, knowing that he would answer instead of being evasive like he used to be.

"I just didn't want to be the reason you lost your friend, love. I want to give you things, not take things away from you. I guess I just wanted you to have a legitimate reason for ending your friendship that wasn't all about me," He looked into my eyes for a long moment as if waiting for some sign to confirm that I was only staying away from Jacob for him. He must have seen nothing but m love for him reflected there because the next thing I knew he was crushing his lips to mine.

He kissed me until I was gasping for breath and then pulled his head back to smile crookedly at me.

"I love you, Isabella Swan." The joy in his eyes was electric.

"I love you too, Edward Cullen." I responded and he resumed his previous activity of kissing me until I couldn't breathe.

~*~

School had pretty much gone back to the way it was before Edward and Alice left. Edward was able to resume his schedule from the beginning of the year and Alice had transferred into most of our classes. Angela and Mike, who had pretty much been the only friends that had not abandoned me when the Cullens left seemed to accept Alice and Edward back without any hesitation although Mike's smile looked forced for the first week that Edward sat beside me at lunch.

Today started off normal but by second period I was feeling very uncomfortable, sort of like I was being watched. I decided that if I still felt like this at lunch I would say something but when lunch came around Alice chatted animatedly with Angela who sat dutifully beside her like she did everyday and Edward sat watching me eat playing with a lock of my hair, again like usual. I decided that I was just being paranoid but then Alice's eyes glazed over like they did whenever she had a vision and I wondered if my feeling and her vision were connected somehow.

Suddenly Edward sat up stiffly in his seat and wrapped his arm around me. His lips were suddenly at my ear as his voice low and urgent whispered in my ear.

"We need to talk, now!" I nodded dumbly as he took my hand and pulled me to my feet. Alice made excuses for us and quickly followed us outside.

Once we were in the parking lot and I was sure no one could hear us I stopped walking.

"What's going on?" I asked shakily. Edward immediately pulled me into an embrace murmuring reassurances in my ear. He was tense but was trying hard to comfort me.

"Bella, did you ever use the tickets that Esme and Carlisle gave you for your last birthday?" Alice asked suddenly. I shook my head no and Edward's body visibly relaxed.

"Excellent idea, Alice," He said over my head to her and then pulled back a little to look me in the eye.

"Bella, I think that we should go to Jacksonville this weekend. We don't have school on Friday and it would be a great time to visit Renee." He told me. I must have looked very confused because Alice laughed and Edward sighed.

"Alice sees Victoria coming into the area on Saturday. She won't get close to Charlie as he will be at the lake with Billy but she will come very close to your house. Alice thinks that we may be able to trap her this time, but her vision is blurred by the wolves patrolling the forests," I needed more information than that. I didn't understand how us going to Florida helped anything and I told him that.

"It actually doesn't help anything but my peace of mind, love. I honestly can't stand the thought of that vile harpy being anywhere close to you." He tightened his hold on me as he spoke.

"Are you sure that no one but Victoria gets hurt, Alice?" I asked anxiously. Her positive reply was the only reassurance I needed. I had learned a long time ago not to bet against my pixie sister.

"Okay Edward, let run the idea by Charlie and if doesn't have a problem with it then we can go to Florida." His relief was palpable and it made me relax even further. I'm so glad that Edward and I share everything, now. I felt like we were equals in our relationship even though I wasn't yet a vampire.


	2. Chapter 2

**SM owns all! I just like to play with her characters once in a while! **

**I kept most of the written conversation from pages 86 through 89 of Eclipse because it's one of my favorite parts of the book and it fit well in the story!**

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Visiting Renee had been a very trying experience. All of the quirks that I used to just wave off as mom just being herself bugged me to no end. I'm sure that it was my revelation in Italy that made me see her in a whole new light.

She was just as flighty and childish as I had told Edward she was and I was shocked that I didn't ever notice before. I debated asking Edward if he saw some sort of mental imbalance in her thoughts, like maybe she was bipolar or something, but in the end I just gritted my teeth and dealt with all of her silly antics.

"Bella, Sweetie. Will you take a walk with me? I have something very important to talk to you about." Renee asked in an apologetic tone as she helped me pack up a few books and things that I had left with her when I moved to Forks.

I braced myself to hear anything and nodded. Knowing Renee something important could be anything from the next color of nail polish she was going to buy to deciding that she didn't like Florida and was leaving Phil to go back to Phoenix.

Hey it could happen! After all, she left my dad because he didn't want to move from Forks.

She led me off of her back deck and down a small pathway towards the beach. She stopped once we were out of hearing range-even if we were yelling-from the house. Edward could still hear us perfectly fine but Renee didn't need to know that.

She looked at me with a sheepish expression and took a deep breath then opened her mouth only to close it back and shake her head with a small laugh. She put her hands on her hips and turned to stare out at the ocean.

"What's wrong mom?"

"Nothing's wrong, it just different. You're different. I can't tell if its Edward being here that makes this visit seem strange. The two of you seem so close to each other. It's strange that two people gravitate toward each other the way you do. But then again being young makes love very intense. Maybe it's just the location that makes everything feel different; I mean you've never been here before. I feel like, - oh Bella please don't tell me it's Phil! Do you not like him? Is that why you wanted to move to Forks? Baby, why didn't you say something, I would have" She ranted but I cut he off by yelling her name.

"Are you serious right now? Because if you are then wow, just wow! This visit is different because I've changed! I've grown up, mom. The only think that you got right in that whole speech was that Edward and I are in love and that it's intense. I like Phil, he's a great guy and I moved to Forks to give you a chance to travel with him. So, just calm down, Jeez!" I couldn't believe her.

"You're right sweetie I'm just overreacting. Nothing has really changed has it? No, I don't think it has. Anyway, I was thinking that when you graduate you could move in here with Phil and me. What do you think, baby?" She asked sweetly.

"I'm planning to go away to college, mom. And before you say I could go to school here in Florida I have to tell you that the deadline to apply has passed. Come on, let's go get some dinner, my flight leaves in a few hours and I'm famished." I put my arm around her shoulder as she nodded and we headed into the house.

I shook myself out of the memory as we pulled up into the driveway and saw that Charlie was home. It was only midmorning on a Sunday. He should be out fishing. Edward visibly stiffened in his seat and I knew that I wasn't going to like whatever happened next.

"Did Jacob say something to Charlie again?" I asked hoping that I was wrong.

"Yes and the pup has sold your father once again on how remorseful he is. He's going to try to convince you to call La Push once I leave." Edward's eyes were guarded again and he was tensed as if preparing for battle.

"Welcome home kids!" Charlie exclaimed when we entered the house. "Did you two have a good time in Jacksonville?"

"Loads," I said sardonically then explained. "Mom tried to sell me on the University of Florida the entire time."

"You should have known she would. I'm glad to have you home Bells, the food around here sucks when you're gone and the laundry is piling up," Charlie laughed. I ground my teeth and forced a smile. See, I wanted to say to Edward; Charlie is almost as bad as Renee when it comes to making me feel like I'm the parent.

"I'll throw a load in now dad and then start lunch." I hurried to the kitchen before I said something rude. Edward followed me his posture rigid and stiff still.

"Oh Bells, before I forget, I promised Jake that you would call him as soon as you got in. He was pretty torn up this weekend when I told him that you and Edward were out of town." Charlie called from the living room.

"Well, that's one promise that you're going to have to break dad because I have no intention of calling Jacob!" I shouted back.

"Isabella Marie Swan," Charlie said my name incredulously as he came into the kitchen. "Jake was, is your friend." I scoffed and he gave me a scolding look.

"He helped you Bella when you were at your lowest and you choosing to go after Edward really hurt him. He reacted badly by lashing out at you but, well, he was so upset Saturday night that he was shaking and crying. He made me promise to have you call him the minute you came in." The phone rang before I could respond.

"Hello?"

"You're back," Jacob said.

So many things flashed through my mind when I heard his voice. The drift wood tree that we sat on and talked, the garage where we built motorcycles together, warm sodas in a paper bag, the movie night with Mike all of these should have been happy memories of my friendship with Jake but they weren't. They were all reminders of my own personal dark ages. And now they were tainted with the vile things that Jacob had done and said since my world had brightened up again.

"So it would seem," I answered gruffly.

"Why didn't you call me?" Jacob demanded.

His angry tone instantly made me furious. He has no right to speak to me in that tone. "You interrupted Charlie tell me that you called but I wasn't planning to call you at all Jacob Black, so be thankful that I haven't hung up yet."

"Sorry, you're right; I just really need to talk to you."

"Yeah, I figured out that part all by myself. Go ahead."

There was a short pause.

"Are you going to school tomorrow?"

"Of course I am. Why wouldn't I?" I demanded. His question was very random.

"Just curious," he said offhandedly. There was another short pause.

"So what did you want to talk to me about, Jacob?" I asked impatiently.

He hesitated. "Nothing really, I guess. I . . . wanted to hear your voice. I have to go," he said abruptly.

"What?" He put on a big production for Charlie on Saturday just to ask me if I was going to school.

"I'll talk to you soon, okay?" He hung up before I could respond.

"Well that was short," I said as I returned the phone to its cradle.

"What did he say? Did he apologize?" Charlie asked hopefully.

"No, he just asked me if I was going to school tomorrow and hung up! I told you he wasn't at all repentant."

'Maybe he's going to meet you after school tomorrow to talk to both of you in person." Edward's expression was completely smooth, impossible to read as Charlie spoke.

"I don't think so," I responded. My mind started running through what Jake's motives for calling might have really been.

Charlie shook his head despondently and headed back to the living room. Jacob must have really worked him over pretty good on Saturday.

"Do you have any idea what could be going on?" I asked Edward as I loaded the washer.

"I can think of only one thing that would have made Jacob Black that upset when he heard that we were out of town together." Edward said grimly.

"What's that?" I was very curious now due to his tone.

"I think that he was checking to make sure that you were still human. Think about it Bella, Charlie showed up at the Black's house telling them that I had whisked you away for three days. I'm sure they jumped to the obvious but wrong conclusion." He wound his arms around me and pressed his lips to my forehead.

"Okay, I can see that but do they honestly think I would come home to Charlie if that were the case?" I asked incredulously.

"I don't know love, but this just shows me that we will definitely have to leave the area before your transformation, so that we keep the wolves from knowing when we break the treaty." He whispered sadly.

I nodded and sighed knowing he was right and hoping that leaving would be enough to keep the peace.

~*~

"What's wrong?" I asked Edward as he pulled me into his arms when he arrived to drive me to school.

"I think that I was mistaken in my observation about Jacob's motives yesterday. It seems that something occurred between my family and the wolves while they were tracking Victoria this weekend. I think Jacob Black may want to speak with me about it at school later today since that is a neutral place. Please don't get upset," he added hastily upon seeing my expression, "no one was hurt and the treaty is still intact. I wasn't made aware of the incident until I went home to change for school this morning. I promise to fill you in on all details at lunch but we need to head out now so that we aren't late for class." He kissed me on the lips once chastely and smiled my favorite smile.

Edward growled when we pulled into the school's parking lot. I turned to him ready to ask what had him so upset when I saw the reason for myself.

Jacob was leaning against his motorcycle glaring at the car as we pulled into a space about ten cars away from him.

"I'd ask you to stay in the car but I know that request would be shot down before it was even uttered so I'll just ask you to please stay calm no matter what Jacob says." Edward sighed heavily and helped me out of the car...

Jacob's face hardened further as we walked toward him, hand in hand.

I noticed the faces of my classmates too. They were looking at Jacob wearily, as if waiting for him to attack someone. I noticed the wide berth everyone gave him, and wondered why they were responding to him that way.

Suddenly, I realized that Jacob looked dangerous to them. I guess I could see that, I mean was huge and did look pretty menacing as he gave Edward a death glare.

Edward stopped a few yards away from Jacob, and I could tell that he was uncomfortable having me so close to Jacob. I wasn't too much more comfortable than he was. He pulled me halfway behind his body. He was assuming a protective stance in front of me.

"You could have called me, and this whole spectacle could have been avoided." Edward said in a steel-hard voice.

"Sorry," Jacob answered in a sneer. "But calling parasites isn't on the top of my to do list."

"You could have just relayed the message through Bella when you called yesterday. I was right there beside her."

Jacob's jaw clenched in anger but didn't respond.

"This is hardly the place for this conversation, Jacob. Could we discuss this after school?"

"Sure, sure I'll just be on my way," Jacob remarked sarcastically. "What's wrong with now?"

Edward looked around pointedly, his eyes resting on the people who were barely out of hearing range.

A few people were hesitating on the sidewalk, their eyes bright with anticipation. They were hoping to see a fight. I was hoping that Jacob left quickly and without making a scene. I saw Tyler Crowley nudge Austin Marks getting his attention so that they both could observe the tense situation only a few yards away from them.

"I already know what you came to say," Edward informed Jacob in a low even voice, "The message delivered. Consider us warned."

"Warned?" I asked in confusion. "What are you talking about?"

"You didn't tell her?" Jacob asked, smirking arrogantly. "Were you afraid that she'd think less of your _family_ if she knew?" He sneered the word family.

"Not at all. Can you please just drop it now?" Edward asked in an exasperated tone.

"Why?" Jacob challenged.

"Wait; is this about what happened when we were in Jacksonville?" I asked hopefully. I hoped that there wasn't something else going on that Edward hadn't told me about.

Jacob raised his eyebrow at me. "Yep, and judging from your tone I'd say that your bloodsucker her didn't tell you that his big... brother crossed the line Saturday night?" his tone was thickly laced with sarcasm.

Then his eyes flickered back to Edward. "Paul was totally justified in -"

"Enough! You need to leave now!" Edward interrupted in a cold voice.

Jacob's hands trembled. He shook his head and sucked in two deep breaths of air.

"Paul attacked Emmett?" I whispered. Paul was the most volatile pack member. I could see him attacking without too much provocation. The memory of the snarling gray wolf that attempted to attack me when I found out the wolves secret was suddenly very clear in my head.

"Were they fighting?" My voice growing higher in my panic, "Did Paul get hurt?" He would have been the only one who could have been hurt in my mind because in my world there was nothing strong enough to hurt my bear of a brother.

"No one fought," Edward whispered soothingly to me. "No one got hurt, love. I promise. Please, don't be anxious."

"You didn't tell her anything at all, did you? Is that why you took her away? Does she even know the psycho redhead was here?"

Edward didn't respond to Jacob at all. He looked worriedly down at me before whipping his head around to glare at Jacob with vicious, unveiled loathing.

Jacob raised his eyebrows, but made no other move. "Touchy subject huh, bloodsucker?"

I began to worry that this confrontation would not end peaceful. Mike Newton came into my peripheral vision at that moment. He seemed to be holding on to Ben Cheney, like he was trying to keep Ben from interfering with what was happening between Edward and Jacob.

They stared at each other in complete silence for a long moment. Abruptly, Jacob's expression shifted, he smiled evilly, staring at Edward determinately. His eyes narrowed in concentration making his expression truly vicious.

I glanced up at Edward to ask what Jacob was doing and his face was contorted in agony and pain. I was confused by his expression but before I could ask about it Jacob barked out a laugh.

"That's funny," Jacob said laughing again he watched the agony flash across Edward's face.

Edward clenched his eyes tightly then smoothed his expression. The agony he was in was only apparent in his butterscotch colored eyes.

"What are you doing to him?" I demanded of Jacob. I knew he was the cause of this.

"It's nothing, love. Jacob is just filling me in on what I missed while I was gone." Edward told me quietly. The pain in his strained voice making tears sting my eyes.

Jacob's grin widened, and Edward cringed pulling me closer to him.

"Stop it! Whatever you're thinking Jacob, stop it right now!" I demanded.

"Sure, sure Bella," Jacob shrugged. "It's the leech's fault I have these memories but if you think he's too weak to see what he did then I'll stop."

Edward whispered to me that the principal was coming and suggested that we head to class so that we didn't get into any trouble. I nodded in agreement and we turned around leaving Jacob behind us.

"I miss you every day, Bella. I just wanted you to know that you're still my best friend," Jacob called out from behind me. I spun around to glare at him.

"Really? It sure doesn't seem that way to me. You've done nothing but try to hurt my family ever since Alice came back." I ground out between clenched teeth. The crowd of students around us had grown again. I hated being the center of attention and was royally pissed that Jacob was creating such a scene.

"I know I've messed up a lot huh? Doesn't matter, though right? I guess I'll survive or something. Who needs friends?" He grimaced, like he was trying to cover the pain the words caused him. There was a time when this brand of manipulation would have worked on me but now I saw it for what it was.

"Aww, Jake. Do you have any idea what hearing you say things like that makes me feel?" I asked sadly.

"Bella love, are you okay?" Edward asked at the same time that Jacob said "I didn't mean to make you feel bad."

"It doesn't make me feel bad per say it just makes me so very sad Jacob that you would honestly think that I was stupid enough to let you manipulate me like that. I think it's time for you to leave now." I took Edward's hand and pulled him into the group of students that were loitering on the side walk.

"Do you feel well enough to go to class?" Edward whispered as we entered the English building.

I nodded. Whether I felt well or not was hardly important right now. I needed to talk to Edward right away. I needed to know what had happened on Saturday.

When we arrived in class I tore a blank page out of my notebook and started writing, as soon as my rear hit the seat.

**What happened? Tell me everything**_. _Edward nodded and took the paper from me.

_Emmett and Jasper very nearly had Victoria but seems that she has some instinct for evasion. She escaped right down the Quileute boundary line as if she were reading it from a map. No one realized that the wolves were tracking her too since Alice's abilities are nullified when it comes to them._

_The big gray one, Paul thought that Emmett crossed the line when he lunged for Victoria so he got defensive. Of course Rosalie reacted to that, I mean Emmett is her mate. Everyone left the chase to protect their companions at this point. Carlisle and Jasper got things calmed down before any one got hurt or any real fighting broke out._

_And by then, Victoria had slipped away. I'm sorry you had to find out this way. I was hoping to be able to hold you so that you would be more comforted when I relayed all of this to you._

I took a moment to process the information. I was glad that everything had been resolved the way it had but just knowing that Victoria was still out there gave me the creeps.

**You would have known the wolves were out there, if you had been here. Florida was a bad idea**_._

He took the paper from underneath my hand shaking his head the whole time.

_I wasn't about to send you off alone. With your luck, not even the black box would survive._

That was not what I had meant and he knew it. And now I was a little ticked off at him for thinking that I couldn't fly to Florida without bringing the plane down.

**So let's say my bad luck did crash the plane. What exactly were you going to do about it?**

_Why is the plane crashing?_

His crooked smile threatened to curl his lips up as he read what I wrote.

**The pilots are passed out drunk.**

_Easy, I'd fly the plane._

I sighed and pursed my lips before trying again.

**Both engines have exploded and we're falling in a death spiral toward the earth.**

_I'd wait till we were close enough to the ground, get a good grip on you, kick out the wall, and jump. Then I'd run you back to the scene of the accident, and we'd stumble around like the two luckiest survivors in history._

I stared at him in shock. He was incorrigible.

He raised an eyebrow either to question the look I was giving him or to dare me to challenge his last statement. I just shook my head in awe of his antics.

The rest of the morning passed without incident. At lunch Alice told me that some of our tablemates had taken bets as to who would win in a fight; Edward or Jacob. They were convinced that the confrontation that they saw this morning was only the beginning of a much longer, very heated battle. I could only hope that they were wrong because as mad as I was at Jacob I'd hate to see Edward kill him. I guess you know who my money'd be on.

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**I know that this chapter took a while to get ready and I'm sorry about that. I will do my best to deliver faster updates but I can't promise the updates with any real regularity! Thank you all for sticking with me!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Twilight belongs to Stephenie Meyer. The concept is hers but the content of this story is mine! The Copying of any of the ideas or content of this story is plagiarism. Plagiarism is theft. Do you really want to be a thief? **

**A/N: I know I know! It's been FOREVER since I updated this story! I have no excuse well I do but they are just that excuses and I'm sure you don't want to hear them. So without further ado, I give you chapter 3! **

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For the rest of the week I kept looking over my shoulder, so sure that Victoria or Jacob or maybe some unknown assailant was covertly watching my every move. I slept restlessly and my eyes scanned my surroundings almost constantly. By Friday afternoon I was irritable and exhausted.

"Bella, love will you please just talk to me? Tell what's going on in that beautiful head of yours." Edward pressed his lips to the top of my head and pulled me into his arms after he helped me out of the Volvo when we arrived at my house after school.

"Maybe later Edward, but right now I just want to curl up with you on the couch and cuddle until Charlie comes home." And hopefully catch a little nap.

"Sorry love but I'm supposed to meet Emmett and Jasper in about an hour. We're going hunting this weekend remember," he said gently as he inhaled deeply taking in my scent and stroking my back lovingly.

"Fine!" I all but shouted pulling from his embrace, "Go and leave me here to be stalked but whoever or whatever it is that has been following me around."

I crossed my arms over my chest and glared at him as he gazed at me with a confused look on his glorious face.

"What are you talking about Bella? No one has been following you. I would have heard if someone got close enough for you to feel their presence and rest assured that Alice is practically living in the future watching out for Victoria so there is no way she can get to you Bella. I wouldn't leave if I did not feel you were safe." I groaned frustrated when he reached out and ran the back of his hand down my cheek soothingly. I didn't want his comfort; I wanted answers but I didn't fight him when he pulled me back into his arms. I rested my forehead against his cool chest and wrapped my arms around his waist.

"Tell me something Edward," I said after a taking a minute to breathe in his luxurious scent to calm myself down. "Can Alice see it if Jacob was following me? Are you sure that he couldn't mask his thoughts somehow so you would be unaware?" I paused and waited for him to answer but when I was met with only silence I nodded once taking his lack of answer as confirmation.

"Bella, I think you need to go to La Push. You need to speak with Jacob in person. You need closure or you will always be looking over your shoulder, thinking he is following you." His voice was calm enough but I could hear the underlying tension in his voice as he told me to go to see the boy who was his natural enemy.

"Why on Earth would I go to La Push? I never want to step foot on Jacob's land ever again. Plus, I've gotten all the closure I need thank you very much." I snarled and pulled away again. I began pacing the yard thinking of all of the things that Jake had done to me in recent weeks.

"No Bella you haven't," I opened my mouth to argue that point but Edward held a hand up to silence me.

"You've been talking to him in your sleep love. Asking him why he was being so horrid to you. You need to at least try to make things right with him for your own peace of mind and to answer you earlier question, even though I doubt very much it would be possible, if Jacob had somehow managed to find a way to shield his thoughts from me; have you forgotten that if Jacob came anywhere near you Alice's visions would shut off and you would disappear." I paused mid step and turned to gape at him. He was right; Alice's visions go blank when Jake is around.

"I spoke to him in my dreams?" I asked angry with myself that I had subjected Edward to hearing me call out for someone else, no matter what the circumstances.

"Yes and Judging by what you've told me just now I'd wager that you are battling with some guilt over the way things turned out with your friend."

I sighed and groaned because I was tired and really didn't want to think about all of this right now.

"Fine, I'll call him and see if he will come here to see me while you are away with your bothers but I'm not going to La Push. Something tells me that I would regret it if I found myself on the other side of the boundary line this weekend." I was hesitant to agree to this much and told Edward so but he merely kissed me on the head and told me to at least try. I glared at him before stomping up the steps and into the house and Edward followed me. I led him into the kitchen and he sat quietly as I called the one phone number I had sworn to never call again.

Billy answered the phone on the third ring and seemed happy to hear from me and cheerfully passed the phone off to a not so cheery Jacob. Jacob huffed and grumbled about the fact that I refused to come to La Push but in the end agreed to meet me at my house after breakfast Saturday morning.

Edward kissed me senseless and promised to be home before I went to bed on Sunday night before he left to meet up with his brothers to spend the weekend hunting his favorite prey.

xoxoxo

I felt a cloud of doubt and something akin to fear build in my stomach as I waited for Jacob to arrive at my house the next morning. So to burn off some of my nervous energy I cleaned the kitchen and living room and had just about given up on him ever showing up when the phone rang.

It was Jacob and he was claiming that he couldn't come to Forks because his Rabbit was broken down. I asked him why he didn't just run here. I was a werewolf after all, who by his own account could out run a vampire.

He gave me the excuse that Charlie and Billy were planning to head back early from fishing and come here to watch a game and Jacob didn't want to try to explain to Charlie why he was here with no car.

I conceded that that did make sense and told him that we would just have to reschedule our talk. But he wouldn't hear that and started imploring me to come to La Push. He persisted until I unwillingly agreed.

I left a message on Edward's cell telling him about the change in plans and promising to call him as soon as I was on my way home. I knew if I didn't and Alice saw me heading to La Push she would call him and he might freak out. My Edward had a tendency to over react to the smallest things.

xoxoxo

Jacob was pacing back and forth in front of his makeshift garage when I pulled the truck into his driveway. He looked agitated and was mumbling to himself. I thought I caught the words 'no time' as I stepped out of the truck but that made no sense so I figured I must have heard wrong.

"Hello Jacob," I called. I was still wary of him so I had stopped a few feet away and crossed my arms over my chest and looked at him expectantly.

"Don't look at me like that Bella. This is your party. You wanted to talk to me remember," He has stopped his pacing and was glaring at me.

_No, I really don't but Edward thinks I need to and since I'm here I better make the best of it_. I thought to myself. "Right, you wanna go for a walk?" I replied out loud instead, knowing the truth would just make the situation worse.

He nodded and shrugged at the same time before turning and leading me down the familiar path to first beach. His stoic attitude and deceptively calm demeanor reminded me of Sam again and I bristled as I thought about how much I truly hated werewolf Jacob, and missed the warm sunny friendly Jake that I had once called my best friend.

I followed him in silence trying to mentally piece together what I need to say to him to get the closure that I now understood that I needed. I knew that I had to figure out if I could deal with Jacob's harsh and uncaring façade to sometimes catch a glimpse of Jake, who I hoped was still alive in him somewhere or if it was better just to cut ties with him all together in order to save myself the heartbreak of watching Jake disappear altogether as Jacob enveloped him completely.

We had barely cleared the trees and stepped out onto the rocky beach when he spun around and leveled a voracious glare on me.

"We went for a walk Bella. Now let's talk," his voice had an accusatory bite to it.

"Some walk," I commented snarkily and the words caused a small tremor to run through me as I remembered a day not that long ago when I had thought those same words in response to Edward demanding a talk; a talk that caused me endless amounts of agony. I had the urge to wrap my arms around myself to safeguard against the onslaught of pain that was sure to follow thoughts of that day but I found that I didn't need to hold myself together. I didn't feel the searing anguish that threatened to drown me that I used to experience when that day flitted uncensored through my mind. Could it be that I was really and truly healing. I could wait to share this news with Edward. I felt the smile spread across my face at my revelation but Jacob's frustrated sigh caused me to snap back into the moment and remember where I was and what I was doing here.

"Look, Bella I'm not sure what it is that you wanted but if all your going to do is stand here and look all dreamy eyed out at the ocean than maybe you should just go, I have stuff to do." Jacob's attitude was wearing on my nerves quite a bit. I longed for the easy friendship that I has once had with Jake.

"Fine, _Jacob_." I emphasized his name trying hard not to sneer at him. For the menacing gleam in his eye belonged solely to Sam's Jacob and not my Jake. "You want me to talk then I'll talk. I came here today to try to either find a way to rekindle my friendship with Jake or find closure knowing that Jacob had killed him." The fingers on my left hand had risen of their own accord and fisted in the hair on the top of my head, much the same way that Edward's does when he is frustrated. I began to pace and had to make a conscious effort not bring my right hand up to press my thumb and forefinger to the bridge of my nose. I almost snorted at the absurdity of me unknowingly copying Edward's mannerisms.

"What the hell are you talking about Bella? As far as I know there is only one of me. I am Jacob and Jake there isn't another one of me floating around out there somewhere." He sounded as if he was questioning my sanity.

"Oh no, I assure you that I know that there is only one of you, physically, what I'm talking about is personality wise. But that isn't the point." I retorted.

"Then what is the point Isabella?" I growled at his use of my full name, he knew how much I hated it. He smirked at me and explained. "Bella is my best friend but Isabella is the wannabe bloodsucker that is trying to kill her."

"Fair enough, Isabella it is then," I conceded. He glared at me with an ominous gleam in his dark eyes.

"You're point then Isabella," He ground out between clenched teeth.

"The point is that I need to know why Jacob!" now that I had started I knew that I had to get it all out. Edward was right. I needed this moment to clear the air with Jacob. "You were my best friend and you knew how depressed and despondent I was without Edward but you tried your best to ruin any chance I had at reconciliation with him. Why Jacob, why did you set out to hurt Edward or me for that matter? He could have been killed Jacob and I refuse to live in a world where Edward doesn't exist. I would have followed him to whatever comes after this life." Pain shot through my chest at the thought of Edward making it as far as to ask the Volturi to kill him, even though they would have denied him. I thoroughly refused to believe that anyone would knowingly destroy someone as good and pure as my Edward. That would have destroyed me in every way imaginable.

"You'd die for him? What am I saying of course you'll die for him. You want him to bite you and break the treaty, then the pack will have no choice but to destroy the entire coven of leeches you call the Cullen family." The calm mask that marked him as Jacob slipped as he said these words and I saw the underlying hurt in Jake's kind eyes.

"It doesn't have to be that way, Jake. There is no need for a war. I am making a conscious decision to be with Edward and all that comes along with it. I love him Jake. He is my whole world." I could see that my explanation was falling on deaf ears as Jacob's faced twisted in anger.

"All that comes along with it Bella? Really? So it _is_ all about the money and looks. I would never have believed Sam and Paul if I didn't just hear the words straight from you."

"Thanks, Jacob. It's nice to know how shallow you think I am." I turned to leave realizing that I was wasting my time here. My friend Jake was gone. All that was left was the cynical, offensive and downright mean werewolf that would soon be my mortal enemy. That thought brought me up short. Jake would be my enemy the moment I awoke from my three day torture to become immortal so that I could have forever with Edward.

I took a deep breath and slowly pivoted on the spot to look back at a crestfallen Jake. It seemed that he at least regretted speaking those words if no others that had fallen from his pursed lips today.

"You've hurt my Jacob and made threats against my family and the man that I love and despite all of that I am standing here in a place where none of them are allowed to come and do you know why?" I paused only for a second knowing that he had no way of correctly answering the question.

"Edward. He's the reason I'm here. He loves me enough to put aside his... less than polite feelings about you and encouraged me to at least try to make things right with you," I blinked back the tears that threatened to cloud my vision.

"Sure sure Bells. I'll bet your bloodsucker was all for you running off to make nice with the enemy, before he honored your request to become his undead lover."

"Believe whatever you want but it is the truth, Edward suggested that I come to see you. He is the most loving, selfless supportive man that has ever existed and for some reason he loves me and as much as I love him. And yes, I asked him to make me immortal because one lifetime with him simply isn't enough for me." It was hard to keep the silly smile off my face at the thought of forever with Edward but I bit the inside of my cheek knowing that it would just aggravate the situation if Jacob saw me giddy over becoming a vampire.

We simply stood the staring at each other for what could have been hours before a look of fierce determination settled into Jake's features.

"Okay Bella, you love your bloodsucker and he loves you. I'll give you that but you also love me. I know it and I'm going to do everything I can to make you see it before it's too late. I'll even make nice with the parasites and apologize for what happened earlier. I still have a few years for you to see me the way I see you right? I can put up with them for that long."

"I'm glad that you want to apologize because it's the right thing to do and I will try to be your fiend again but Edward is going to change me this summer. It's a matter of weeks away Jacob not years but even if it wasn't so soon there is no way that I will ever see you as more than a friend or brother at the most. My heart and soul belong to Edward." I implored him to understand. He gritted his teeth then barked out a laugh.

"That may have been true before Bella but he left you. And now he's going to have to deal with the aftermath of his desertion; me. And I won't stop fighting for you. I'll be good now but remember Bella you have options and I'll be here fighting for you until your heart stops beating." I sighed heavily when he finished his speech.

"The only option I want is Edward but if you truly want to try to be my friend. Then I'll be willing to try again with you. But Jacob I don't want you to get the wrong idea. I will never be more than that with you." I waited for some sort of guilt or pain to accompany this statement knowing that it would hurt Jake but none came. My heart had decided long ago that Jacob's pain was nothing when compared to Edward's and that thought did upset me a little but I knew the small amount of pain Jake felt now, was worth it if it meant not hurting Edward and be extension myself any more than had already occurred so I shook it off and smiled sadly at Jake.

"We'll just see about that won't we Bella." He took a step towards me and narrowed his eyes in concentration. I could see as his resolve solidified and was horrified to realize that he was staring at my lips.

"Not a chance, Jacob Black." I glared at him as my body tensed. I knew that I wouldn't be able to fight him off if he decided to force a kiss on me. He was a hundred times stronger than me. Heck, he was almost as strong as Edward. "If you try anything like that I won't be held responsible for what happens to you." I was hoping to halt his forward motion but he merely smiled knowingly at me as I back away.

"I'm just playing around Bells. Jeez, I wouldn't force you to kiss me. It will be so much sweeter when you kiss me all on your own. And I promise you that day is coming." He leered at me.

"Behave Jacob, or I won't be coming back and you won't be welcome at Charlie's anymore." I told him sternly but I relaxed somewhat knowing that he wasn't about to pounce on me like a rabid dog.

"Sure sure, whatever you say, Isabella." He laughed lightly. I managed a smile now that I was calm.

"Thanks Jacob. It's good to have my friend back but it's getting late and I need to get home to make dinner for Charlie. We'll talk soon okay." My instinct was to hug him goodbye but after the way he looked at me earlier I wasn't about to take that chance. So, I waved at him and headed back up the trail towards his familiar red house.

Jacob rushed past me as my truck came into view and opened the driver's door for me. I thanked him as I pulled myself up into the seat. I leaned over to close the door but Jake was standing between me and the door with an expectant smile.

"What?" I questioned unsure if I wanted to know the answer.

"This," he pulled me out of the truck, holding me in his arms, never letting my feet touch the ground and crushed me to him in a too tight hug and pressed a kiss to the top of my head.

"I've missed you Bells, it's good to have you back. I'll call you soon, see ya," He sat me back on the bench seat of my truck and closed the door.

"Bye, Jake," I murmured as he lobbed off into the trees back towards the beach. I took a second to consider what had just happened and sighed angrily when I realized that he had effectively covered me in his scent. There was nothing I could do about it now and it really didn't matter anyway since Edward wouldn't be home until tomorrow sometime. It was just the idea that Jake was trying to mark me in some way that irked me to no end. I shook off the thought filling it away to deal with later.

I started the truck and made my way back home wondering if I made things any better with this visit to Jake of if I had just made everything a whole lot worse.

I was whole surprised when Edward's car wasn't parked in front of my house when I arrived. I guess that showed me just how much trust he had in me that he hadn't rushed home to try to protect me when I changed my plans.

I left him another message as soon as I parked the truck letting him know that I was home and fine. He didn't respond right away so I guessed he was still hunting. I smiled thinking that in just a couple of months I would be there with him hunting together as equals.

I couldn't wait to really run with Edward, I just know that it would be exhilarating to see him so free and be able to keep pace with him. I was still playing around with that idea when Charlie arrived. We had a quiet dinner and I excused myself early to go read in my room. I must have fallen asleep reading because a knock on my bedroom door woke me early Sunday morning.

"Good morning Bella," Alice's chipper voice called as she entered the room. "It's time to wake up. I made plans for us for the day while you were off playing fetch with the pup yesterday."

"Alice, you are way too perky for," I glanced at the clock and groaned when I saw the time, "eight am on a Sunday morning. Normal people are asleep right now." I pulled the blanket over my head hoping that she would take the hint and leave but this was Alice. And Alice never gave up that easily. She yanked the covers off me and I set up and glared at her. She scoffed at me before smiling brightly.

"Since when have you been normal, Bella? But anyway, I promised Angela that we would come over and help her with her graduation announcements at noon and that only gives us four hours for you to get dressed, eat breakfast and get over there. Plus Edward will be home by the time we get finished there so this is the only time I'll have you all to myself this weekend." She put on her best pout and I couldn't argue with her. I hopped out of bed, took the clothes that she had chosen for me to wear for the day, I noted that none of them were things that I had even seen before, and took a quick shower.

Once I was dressed and fed Alice led me outside and into Carlisle's Mercedes. We still had over two and a half hours before we had to be at Angela's so I wasn't sure where we were headed but I have to say I was more that surprised when she pulled into the parking lot of the play park.

We settled on a pair of swings and she began to chatter away about graduation and a party that she felt we just had to throw to commemorate the occasion. I tried to protest but she wouldn't hear it. I relented after she told me that she had seen the whole thing and that I spent the entire affair wrapped in Edward's arms. I agreed reluctantly then, remembering that prom hadn't been completely horrible for that exact reason. Alice and I came to a compromise about the party. She promised not to subject me to Bella Barbie for the party and I promised to loathe the whole thing without giving it a chance. All it all it was a productive hour.

Finally she got around to the other reason she wanted to spend the morning with me.

"Now that we have that settled, why don't you tell me about your visit to the pound, I mean La Push, yesterday," She smiled that irresistible smile of hers and I shook my head indulgently knowing she had every reason to dislike Jacob and the pack. She listened with rapt attention as I recounted the conversation I had with Jacob and my concerns that I had only made things worse by going there.

"I don't think so Bella. As long as you and Edward continue to communicate and stop rushing off to play the martyr and trying to sacrifice yourselves for the good of the other then I'm sure that everything will be just fine. I can still see the wedding, which by the way, we need to start planning," she paused to smile pointedly at me and I rolled my eyes in response.

"There are no definite plans Alice, as Edward and I haven't really decided to get married let alone when to do so," I told her but I knew it was a lie even as the words left my mouth. I had decided that I wanted to marry Edward on the plane to Milan. I had just been stalling because I was worried about everyone's reactions.

"Whatever you say Ms. Swan but I have seen the wedding and it will be absolutely perfect." She sang happily. I glanced at my watch, just for something to do to keep from looking into her eyes and blurting out the whole truth about why Edward and I haven't set a date. I didn't want my soon to be sister to know how much of a coward I was.

I was happy to note that it was a quarter to twelve and time to head to Angela's house. Angela greeted us merrily and seemed thrilled with having help to address the hundreds of announcements her mother expected her to send out. The hours passed quickly as the three of us chatted about nothing of importance. It seemed like not even a full minute had passed after the final announcement was addressed and sealed that Alice's phone buzzed and she smiled brightly at me. I knew what that meant. Edward was home.

We said a hasty goodbye to Angela and five minutes later we were pulling up in front of the Cullen's mansion. Edward was at my door and had me in his arms before Alice could even put the car in park. I sighed contentedly at the overwhelming feeling of peace that I felt only while I was in his arms. The world melted away and left only Edward and me when he pressed his cool lips to mine. I eagerly returned his kiss and the squeal coming from the all knowing pixie known as Alice told me that she had seen what I had resolved to do next and wholeheartedly approved.


	4. Chapter 4

**Twilight and all related material belong to Stephenie Meyer. I just like to play with her characters a bit. **

**A/N: I know, it's been a long time since I updated. Please, don't kill me. RL has just been fail in so many ways and the writing mojo abandoned me for a while but I have found my muse again and I'm back and hopefully better than ever! I want to thank all of you guys for sticking with this story and me. You guys mean the world to me. **

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Charlie was thrilled that I had decided to give me friendship with Jake another chance. He had a bounce in his step when he arrived home from fishing just a few minutes after I had gotten home from Edward's house. He followed me to the kitchen and stood watching me intently as I gathered the ingredients to make a quick chicken casserole.

"You have no idea how glad I am you've recognized how childish it was to hold a grudge against Jake. I was beginning to worry that you'd never be an adult about all of this and that it would eventually cause a rift between Billy and me. It's about time you showed me how responsible you can be," Charlie smiled at me as if he had just handed me the greatest compliment in the world as he grabbed a beer from the fridge and headed into the living room to watch Sports Center.

I had to bite the inside of my cheek to keep from lashing out at him verbally, taking my aggression out on the chicken and vegetable that I was dicing for dinner.

He thought I'd never be an adult? What the hell did he think I had been behaving like for the past year? What was I if not responsible? What other kid my age was held accountable for all of the household chores, grocery shopping and preparing meals? No one that's who.

I continued to silently fume over Charlie's opinion of the Jacob situation all through dinner. My blissful disposition from this afternoon long gone. Charlie prattled on about Billy and fishing oblivious to my mood.

"So, Bells, Thursday is Billy's fiftieth birthday so to celebrate a few of the guys are heading up to Sullivan Lake over in Metaline Falls. Sullivan is where the state record twenty two pound trout was caught way back in '65. Billy and I both are looking to beat that record." I looked up at him when he stopped talking to find him staring at me expectantly. What was I supposed to say? Good luck?

"Um, that's great Dad. I hope you all have fun," I said with false enthusiasm hoping that he would leave me alone so that I could brood a bit more over his appraisal of my lack of maturity.

"Right, thanks. I'm sure we'll have a blast. Bella," he sighed rubbing his hand down his face in frustration," Bella what I'm saying here is that I'll be leaving very early on Wednesday morning and won't be home until late Sunday night. It's a ten hour drive to Metaline Falls and we want to get in as much time on the water as possible. "

I opened my mouth to tell him that I'd be fine here alone; I had after all spent weeks alone back in Phoenix during the times that Renee went on the road with Phil, but he held a hand up to silence me.

"Don't bother to tell me that you can take care of yourself Bella. I'm not going to leave my seventeen year old daughter at home alone for five days. I've already talked to Sue Clearwater and she would be happy to let you stay with her while I'm gone or if you'd rather stay here in the house, I could have Jacob come down and stay with you since you two have made up." I was already shaking head no to both options before he even finished laying them out for me.

I refuse to spend five days in La Push where Edward couldn't visit me at night and I really didn't think that I would feel comfortable with Jake staying here every night. He still harbored feelings for me and I don't think he'd react well to Edward staying in my room at night while he slept downstairs. Not to mention how much Edward would loathe either idea.

"You're not staying here alone Bella," He said agitated at my quick dismissal of the plans that he had made for me without consulting me first.

"I stayed by myself a lot in Phoenix and was perfectly fine. I know how to cook, clean and drive myself to and from school and if I need anything all I'd have to do is pick up the phone and Edward would be right over." I paused, a brilliant idea forming in my mind, "You know Dad, I could just stay with the Cullens while you're gone. I'm sure that Esme and Carlisle would be okay with it."

"And where would Edward be staying while you stayed with his family?" His voice had an undertone of emotion that I didn't understand.

"He'd be staying there too," I said not understanding why he thought that Edward would be gone.

"Then the answer is no. There is no way that you are going to be spending five nights alone with that boy…" I could see Charlie building up a head of steam so I spoke up quickly to stop his impending explosion.

"Alone? Did you forget that Carlisle, Esme, Alice, Emmett, Rosalie and Jasper live there too? Do you really think that Edward's parents would allow something inappropriate to happen? Not that anything like that would happen anyway. Edward's morals would never allow it, " I hadn't meant to say that last part out loud but the way Charlie was looking at me made me wonder if I should have said that first.

"Explain that, please," Charlie whispered as he stared at me fixedly. I assumed that he was assessing my words and body language the way he had been taught to do with a suspect during an interrogation.

"Edward is very old fashioned. He believes that, um, certain… intimacies should only be shared by a husband and wife. He values my virtue as much if not more than he does his own. He says that I am a lady and should always be treated as such so he keeps our relationship pretty chaste. Now, I'm not saying that we aren't affectionate. He holds me and kisses me but is always respectful. In short Dad, Edward is a complete gentleman," I finished with a small nod flushing red enough to rival the color of a tomato.

It was almost comical the way Charlie's face contorted as he digested this information. I could see the relief in his eyes upon learning that Edward intended for me to be a virgin bride but I could also see the mortification there as well at having heard that Edward intended me to be a virgin bride.

"I always knew there was a reason that I liked that boy," he mumbled before agreeing to call Carlisle and asking him if I could stay with the family while he was fishing.

The next couple days flew by and before I knew it Alice and I were in my room packing my bag. She chatted happily about how much fun we were going to have doing all sorts of girly things during our extra long slumber party while making faces at my clothes as I put them in my bag.

I had a feeling that at least one day this week I would have to endure Barbie Bella time and possibly a shopping trip to supplement my wardrobe. I turned around to gather my unmentionables for the weekend and froze when Alice's monologue about nail polish stopped abruptly. I shrugged thinking that she was using her remarkable girt to see how our shopping trip and makeover would turn out.

I turned around to face her directly and ask her where we were heading, Seattle or Port Angeles but I knew that I was dead wrong about the content of her vision when she snapped out of her trance with a gasp and immediately grabbed her phone and began muttering something so fast and low that I had no idea what she was saying but I knew it was bad but the grave expression written across her lovely features.

"What is it Alice?" I asked as she hung up the phone.

"I saw a vampire coming here. He's not someone that I've ever seen before. I don't see him attacking anyone," she said when she saw the color drain from my face instantly.

"Then why is he coming?" I whispered nervously.

"I'm not sure why Bella. All I can see is that he will be coming here to your house tomorrow morning, don't worry he waits until Charlie is gone," She said as she took in my reaction. I couldn't stand the thought of my father suffering because of my involvement in the world of the supernatural. I nodded for her to continue. "I can see him in your room, holding a few of your things but that's it. I think he's going to take some of your clothes when he leaves but I have no idea why."

"Are you sure that you didn't hire this guy to clean out my closet?" I tried to joke. It was a lame attempt but it was better than the alternative since I didn't think Alice would enjoy watching me freak out over some random vampire stealing my clothes to sniff them.

I barely had time for a hurried goodbye to Charlie before I was shoved into the passenger seat of my truck by a covertly super strong pixie that spent the entire drive to her house telling me to remain calm and that everything was going to be fine.

Edward had me pulled out of the car before Alice had even put it in park. He held me tightly against him as he pulled me into the house.

I sat quietly listening as the Cullens planned to ambush the unknown vampire after he left my room. They were going to corner him in the forest near my house and question him about why he was there and destroy him if need be.

Esme tried to convince Edward and Carlisle that the mystery vamp was merely curious as to why my scent was mingled with the scent of so many vampires but no one, including me gave the thought much merit.

Once all of the plans were in place for the confrontation, or the tete au poing (head to fist) as Emmett so politely called it. Alice didn't see this guy showing up until late tomorrow morning so there was no need to rush into action just yet. So, we decided to watch a few vampire movies to pass the time.

I laughed at the sheer stupidity of Eddie Murphy in Vampire in Brooklyn and cringed at the disgusting graphics in Near Dark. I fell asleep half way through The Lost Boys and dreamed that Kiefer Sutherland was standing in my bedroom sniffing my red blouse and discussing the rainy weather with Edward, who was lounging on my bed as if he hadn't a care in the world.

I awoke with a start as the thunder clapped violently overhead. I yawned and stretched and realized that I was lying somewhere warm and of so very soft. I opened my eyes and came face to face with my golden eyed angel.

"Edward?" I croaked. My voice was still rough from sleep.

"Yes, Love?"

"Where did this bed come from?" I gestured at the wrought iron bed with piles and piles of golden pillows and blankets.

"Alice," He said as a means of explanation and smirked.

I giggled and pulled myself into a sitting position. Edward leaned over me making me lie back down and gave me a long, soul stirring kiss good morning before excusing himself so that I could get dressed.

Alice and Rose forced me to play Bella Barbie as a distraction once the guys left to stakeout my house waiting for my visitor. After about twenty minutes of me protesting and Alice pouting, I relented and was shoved into a lacy black dress with ruffles. My feet were forced into some very high red heel that I was sure were going to cause me to break my neck if I tried to walk in them. Rosalie curled my hair while Alice did my make-up and adorned my neck and wrist with very expensive looking jewelry.

Alice painted my nails, both my fingers and my toes a dark red color and smirked at Rose when she laughed. I could only assume that the color was very similar to that of blood, when seen through a vampire's eyes. In the end I had to admit that I looked very beautiful and felt like I belonged standing next to my soon to be sisters.

We finalized and perfected the plans that Alice had plucked from my head the other day while we waited for the guys to get home. Alice had already placed the order for the gift I wanted to give to Edward, including the exact inscription that I had envisioned and it would be arriving within the week. I was impressed and she giggled gleefully when I told her so.

Alice thought that Edward would be too stressed out after the events of the morning and afternoon to be able to maintain his human façade well enough to go out so she ordered dinner in for me while I showered and changed back into my normal clothes but left the polish on, I really liked he color and wondered what Edward's reaction would be.

The guys showed up just as I was finishing my dinner. Edward was very agitated when he and the other Cullen men returned from my house. It seems that the wolves were also prowling the woods nearby and my visitor, who I now knew was called Riley, got scared and retreated.

We all sat around the living room listening to the events of the afternoon. The guys were able to follow him to an abandoned warehouse just south of Seattle where he met with Victoria, and told her of his failure.

She wasn't at all bothered by it; instead she had seemed to expect it. She soothed him by saying that the time would soon come that he could make it up to her by leading her army against the Cullens and me. It was my very worst nightmare come true. Victoria had lost her mind and was hell-bent on revenge, no matter the cost.

Jasper assured me that he was well prepared to handle an army of newborn vampires as he had done it for almost a century before he had left in search of happiness.

"At present there are eleven newborns plus Riley and Victoria to take out. I have no doubt that we can handle them but I'd like to contact the Denali clan for back up just in case we need them." Carlisle took out his phone and dial straight away.

"Damn it." Edward seethed suddenly jumping up to begin pacing. I looked up at him questioningly from the sofa where I sat with Alice and Jasper.

"Irina wants revenge on the pack for Laurent's death." He answered hastily.

"I say we let her have at them. It would solve the canine issue and give us reinforcements when Victoria decides to act, not that I think we'll need them." Emmett supplied.

"Have at them? No, you can't. It would be suicide for her. It would be six wolves against a single vampire. She wouldn't survive and the pack might blame you guys." I was getting hysterical and could feel Jasper trying to calm me as Edward knelt down in front of me. He took my hands into his and held my gaze.

"Its okay, Love. No one is going to fight the wolves. Carlisle explained the treaty to Tanya. They understand but they are refusing to come and aid us in the pending battle." I was abruptly livid. How dare they refuse to help the people that they claimed were family because of some grudge!

"I thought the Denali's were your family. How can they leave family members to deal with a potentially life threatening situation?" I fumed.

"Irina doesn't see it that way, Bella. All she sees is us standing in the way of her avenging her friend." Alice explained but that wasn't enough for me.

"Well, if that's how she sees it then the wolves were defending a friend when they killed Laurent to keep him from killing me and by her logic they were perfectly justified in doing that." I countered angrily.

"They aren't our only allies, Bella. We have plenty of other resources from which to draw support." Jasper assured me.

"I for one don't want the succubae sisters anywhere near here so I agree with Jasper and Bella. We can always call in a few favors. As I see it the mongrels were just proactive in avenging Bella against that idiot Laurent instead of reactive. It's the only useful thing I've ever known any of them to do." Rose smirked.

"Succubae sisters?" I asked and Edward groaned.

"You never told her about Tanya, Edward?" Edward turned a heated glare towards Emmett the moment the words left his mouth.

"What about Tanya?" I asked quietly, hesitantly.

"It's nothing, Love. Emmett is just being Emmett." Edward said by way of an explanation.

Rose snorted and Alice shook her head sadly but Jasper adopted a grave expression before reaching over and clapping Edward roughly on the shoulder.

"It may have been nothing to you little brother but you wrecked her perfect record. The poor girl will probably never recover." Jasper said solemnly and wiped an imaginary tear from his eye.

"What record did you ruin, Edward?" I was starting to get irritated by my confusion and the lack of information.

Edward sighed heavily and asked his family to give us some privacy. They all decided to go hunting and quickly made an exit. He waited until they were all gone from the house and pulled himself up to sit beside me on the sofa.

Edward scrubbed his face with his hands a few times in frustration. He sighed again and roughly ran his hands through his hair.

"Edward?"

"I'm sorry, sweetheart. I was debating how to start this discussion." He looked over at me and smiled wearily. I wasn't sure if it was mental or physical exhaustion though.

"The beginning would be a good place to start." I prompted.

He smiled and chuckled lightly.

"Okay then, the beginning it is. In 1962 my family moved to Alaska. As soon as the decision to go was made Alice got a vision of another coven of vegetarian vampires already living there in a town called Denali. Carlisle was excited then because he had never met anyone who had like him, sworn off human blood without any outside help.

"We met with the Denali coven almost immediately after moving in to the area. There are three sisters, Kate, Tanya and Irina. There was also a mated pair in their family; Carmen and Eleazar. The sisters were very open about how they gained a conscious, as Carlisle calls it.

"You see, the three of them enjoyed the company of human men and couldn't bear the idea of killing them once they had fulfilled their desires, so the changed their ways and the men they entertained lived to make repeat visits. As for Carmen and Eleazar they had developed a conscious on their own after Eleazar left the Volturi. He had once been a valued member of the guard." I gasped at the idea of someone Edward regarded as family ever working for those Italian monsters and would have forgotten my original question if he hadn't given me that smirk that told me he was still hiding something.

"As fascinating as that is Edward. I still want to know how you ruined Tanya's prefect record." I was quite proud of myself for being able to read him now. It was amazing just how much closer we had gotten since he'd came home.

"Really Bella. It's ridiculous. I didn't do anything." He sounded a little wary and possibly embarrassed.

"Sure, sure Edward. I totally believe that what with how calmly you reacted to Emmett a few minutes ago." I raised an eyebrow in challenged and he sighed and looked at his hands that were clinched into fists in his lap.

"Fine, when we first moved to Alaska Tanya expressed an interest in me but I declined her advances in the most gentlemanly way I could. She didn't take it very well as she had never had a man tell her no before." He looked up at me when I gasped at his confession.

"Wh-what did she d-do?" I stuttered fearing his response would be something horrific like; she had some sort of sexual mind control and made him be with her. No, Edward told me he'd never been with anyone. And I believe him.

"She ranted a bit but when she calmed down she simply smirked at me and said that someday I'd change my mind. I assured her that I wasn't interested in that type of relationship with her or anyone else. And that was the truth until January 18th of last year when you stumbled into my life. The only woman I have ever desired in any way is you, Love." He assured me and felt like I was flying.

Somewhere in Alaska there was a perfect female vampire who wanted my Edward but I wasn't really worried about it because when he looked at my with his smoldering topaz eyes I knew she'd never be able to take what's mine, and Edward Cullen is most definitely mine.

Never one to pass up an opportunity to get in some uninterrupted kissing time with Edward, I moved closer to him and reached up to run my hand through his hair.

He must have realized what I was after or maybe he had had the same idea because he turned in one of his lightening quick moves and pulled me into his lap.

I was sitting astride him looking down into his dark honey colored eyes. In a very slow deliberate movement he licked his lips. My eyes followed the trail of moisture that his tongue left on his perfect bottom lip before I leaned down to kiss him for all I was worth.

The second our lips touched Edward reached one hand up to grasp the back of my neck and his other hand held my hip in his tight grasp. I, of course plunged both of my hands into his lush hair. Our kiss had just started to become heated when he suddenly pulled away with a low growl.

"What's wrong, Edward?" I gasped out trying to catch my breath.

"Jacob is here." He spat out. I had to agree that Jake had rotten timing but I couldn't understand the venom in Edward's voice. He had seemed okay with me trying to be Jacob's friend again.

"Is that a bad thing?" I asked cautiously.

"It is when he's only here sniffing around to see if you are still human. Not to mention him lurking in the backyard and screaming obscenities at me." He glared at the back wall, and sure enough if I squinted just right, I could make out the huge russet wolf that I knew to be Jacob trotting slowly across the lawn towards the house.

"He was watching us?" I demanded outraged.

"Yes." He replied curtly.

"Why?" I breathed unable to understand the peeping Tom-ish moment Jake was having.

"I'm not sure, actually. I was too caught up in more pleasant activities to be paying attention to our surroundings. I wouldn't have noticed him at all if he hadn't phased when you moaned as my hand move around to your lower back." He was fighting a smirk, I could tell. He was quite proud to be able to elicit those types of sounds from me and I was more than happy to allow him to do so.

"Well, should we go out and greet our guest?" I asked as I lifted myself off of his lap.

"I guess we should. I'll translate because you don't speak Dog and there is no way in Hell, I'd allow his to phase back when he has nothing to cover himself with." I couldn't blame him for that and I honestly had no desire to ever see Jake naked. Edward, on the other hand I'd like to see naked on a daily basis, or multiple times a day if I could somehow work it out.

I shook my head to rid myself of my less that chaste thoughts and took the hand that Edward was no offering me and we headed outside to talk to Jake. It didn't take more than a minute to get from the sofa to the back deck but somehow in during that short amount of time the yard had filled with people. The Cullens had returned home from hunting.

I assumed that Alice's vision of Edward and I had suddenly gone blank and they had hurried home to make sure we were safe. Jacob whined as he looked around at all of the vampires in the yard and Edward sighed in resignation.

"Emmett, would you mind letting Jacob borrow a pair of your pants. He has no clothing of his own with him and his sense of smell is more acute in his wolf form and our scent is overwhelming him." Edward explained. Emmett nodded and hurried in the house with a shout of "on it."

Jacob regarded the offered garment with unease before taking it into his mouth and sprinting back into the woods only to emerge in his human form. The first words out of his mouth made me wish that he was still shaped like a giant monster instead a human who behaved like one.

"God, you bloodsuckers reek. How do you stand the stench when he's all over you like that Bells?" His nose was still wrinkled in disgust when he stopped advancing in our direction.

"Never mind that Jacob, Why the heck were you spying on us?" I demanded with a glare in his direction.

"Chill, I didn't _want_ to watch you get freaky in the living room with your leech. The pack sent me to check up on you. We all know that Charlie is gone for a few days and Sam was worried that-" Emmett's booming voice cut across him before he could finish the sentence.

"Getting freaky? With Edward? Why Bella I didn't know you had it in you. It's about time you two rounded a few bases." He laughed and I'm sure that he must had added much more to that statement mentally because the next thing I knew Edward had pounced on him and the two of them were rolling around on the ground fighting like a couple of toddlers.

Jacob laughed saying that they reminded him of his pack brothers fighting and how he was sure that a few of them would have loved to spar with a couple of vampires, even if it was just for play.

The words had barely left his mouth when Alice gasped and Emmett pinned Edward, who had stopped fighting.

"Do you think it will work?" Edward asked Alice as he jumped up and dusted his clothes off.

"Definitely," She said with a beaming smile.

"What's going on? Alice, what did you see?" Carlisle inquired. Alice simply nodded towards Jasper in response.

"I think that if the pack is willing to learn to spar with vampires, they should put the knowledge to good use, say on a certain newborn army." Jasper said then quickly explained the situation to Jacob. Jake was sure that the pack would be interested in learning the combat skills and was positive that they would want to take out the newborns, since they saw it as their job anyway.

It looked like everything was going to work out. Victoria's army wouldn't stand a chance against six werewolves and the entire Cullen family. It gave me hope that my other plans would come together too and by this time Saturday, I would be properly engaged.


End file.
